"These people just want to use you for whatever they can get out of you."

The behaviors we learn in childhood follow us into adulthood in ways we often fail to recognize. Growing up in extreme poverty taught me financial and social patterns that lingered long after I escaped those circumstances. This raw, reflective episode examines the subtle yet powerful ways parental failings shape who we become.

The most insidious lessons came from watching how adults in my life manipulated others. My mother and her circle perfected the art of getting what they wanted without directly asking – creating elaborate displays of neediness designed to maximize what they could get from others. I absorbed these "poverty behaviors" and still catch myself falling into these patterns today.

Breaking these cycles requires first recognizing them for what they are: learned survival mechanisms rather than permanent character flaws. While these behaviors may have served a purpose in an environment of scarcity and instability, they become self-sabotaging once we have opportunities for stability and growth. This episode offers both personal reflection and insight for anyone working to overcome similar patterns.

Have you identified destructive patterns from your own childhood? Share your story or reach out with your thoughts – I'd love to hear how you're breaking cycles and creating healthier behaviors in your own life. Subscribe, leave a review and join me next week as we continue exploring how our past shapes our present.

From Dirt We Grow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIpmNdhX_08

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